The Anniversary
by Mulderette
Summary: ***STORY COMPLETE*** The anniversary of his father’s death hits Ty in a way he never could have imagined. Thanks so much for the reviews :
1. Chapter One

Title: The Anniversary - Chapter One  
Author: Lynne Facella  
Category: Drama/Angst  
Email: lynne1919@aol.com  
Spoilers: Through current season 4  
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero. I wish they were mine but unfortunately they're not.  
Summary: The anniversary of his father's death hits Ty in a way he never could have imagined.   
  
******  
  
Ty stared out the window of the RMP, not paying any attention at all to whatever it was that Sully was talking about. His thoughts were focused on one thing and one thing only. He would have thought it would be easier by now, but it wasn't. Granted, some years it was different. He'd be busy or distracted, his emotions more contained. This year though it seemed to be getting to him even more than usual. He'd found that it had been on his mind quite a lot over the past couple of weeks, leaving him at times with an almost overwhelming sadness. He hated feeling like this. He loved his dad and he never wanted to forget him, but these feelings he had been experiencing were practically unbearable...  
  
"Rough day, huh?"  
  
Ty turned toward his partner, startled. "Yeah..."  
  
Sully nodded. "It's hard...whenever I think back to that day...I replay it in my mind, trying to find some way I could have saved your dad, but..."  
  
"You know you couldn't have, Sul..." Ty said quietly. "No one could have...it was just one of those things..."  
  
"I know, but..." Sully grasped the steering wheel a little bit tighter as he thought about exactly what it was he wanted to say. "It's kind of like when you read a sad book or watch a sad movie. You know how it's going to end, but...no matter how many times you see it or read it, there's this little part of you that thinks maybe it's going to end differently this time...but it never does..."   
  
Ty nodded. "Yeah...I can understand that. Sometimes I wish that I could have at least talked to him, you know? Just to let him know I loved him. It was just so damn quick..." The night was engrained in his memory. Tiny details had faded with time, but for the most part everything remained intact. He'd been lying in bed, reading a book with a flashlight under the covers when he'd heard his mother scream. He'd known right away that something horrible had happened, that things would never be the same.  
  
"He knew you loved him," Sully said, his tone much more gentle than usual. "You know that, don't you?"  
  
Ty hesitated, then nodded. "I know...but...it just would have been nice to tell him anyhow...to say goodbye, you know?"  
  
"Yeah...yeah I do know," Sully said gruffly. Ty's father had never had a chance. The bullets that slammed into his body had killed him instantly. He shuddered slightly, the memory of that night as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. He hoped he'd never have to go through something like that again.  
  
******  
  
It seemed to happen in slow motion. One moment Ty was crouched behind the RMP, shooting at gang members who were randomly shooting, wanting to kill anyone in their path. The next moment, an explosion of pain ripped through his chest and he felt himself falling. He lay on the hard concrete feeling tiny bits of gravel beneath his fingers. Through a foggy haze he could see Bosco and Faith looking down at him. They were speaking, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Something was wrong though. He couldn't see Sully...Where was he? He looked around frantically, searching for his partner until he realized that Sully was holding him in his arms. Ty met his partner's gaze and he could see the tears in Sully's eyes. Okay...that definitely wasn't a good sign. Then Ty forced himself to look at the gaping hole in his chest. Bosco was applying pressure, desperately trying to stop the blood that was gushing from the wound. He'd never seen so much blood. He was shivering violently and he knew he was in shock. An icy chill invaded his body and he felt like he would never be warm again.   
  
Shit.  
  
He was going to die...  
  
He remembered a quote he had read once, "The fear of death is more to be dreaded than death itself." Well that was certainly true. He'd never been as afraid as he was right now. He didn't want to die. Not now. Not like this.  
  
"Sul?" He looked up into the eyes of his partner, seeking comfort. He felt Sully's arms tighten around him and he didn't feel quite so cold.   
  
"I'm here, Ty. I'm right here with you."   
  
"Tell...tell my mom I love her," he whispered weakly. "Love you too, Sul." At least he'd had the chance to say it, not like with his dad.   
  
"I love you." The tears were freely streaming down Sully's cheeks now. Not again. What kind of God would let this happen again? He was just a kid. He didn't deserve this. His family didn't deserve this.   
  
Ty took one last look around him. There seemed to be an endless supply of tears. Sully...Faith...hell, even Bosco's eyes were welling up. He heard the sound of oncoming sirens and knew the paramedics were near. He no longer had the strength to keep his eyes open though and he let himself drift off into the darkness. 


	2. Chapter Two

Title: The Anniversary (2/?)  
Author: Lynne Facella  
Category: Drama/Angst  
Email: lynne1919@aol.com  
Spoilers: Through current season 4  
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero. I wish they were mine but unfortunately they're not.  
Summary: The anniversary of his father's death hits Ty in a way he never could have imagined.   
  
Author's notes: Thanks so much for your nice comments. As always, they are very much appreciated :)  
  
******  
  
"Clear!"  
  
When Ty opened his eyes, he felt absolutely fine. There was no pain at all. He looked down at his uniform and found that it was spotless and intact. He smiled to himself, relieved that he was okay. But just when he was convinced the whole thing had been a dream, he realized it wasn't. He found himself staring down at his own body lying on the table in the trauma room. The doctors were working frantically to save him, but it didn't look good. Hell he was watching himself in the trauma room. Wasn't that something only dead people did? When he'd been shot in the thigh, he certainly hadn't experienced anything like this. He really was going to die. Maybe he was already dead. He wasn't quite sure.   
  
He decided he really didn't want to watch the scene in the trauma room any longer. There was actually something pretty depressing about watching yourself die. He found that he could move his arms and legs with no problem so he headed out to the waiting area, but things there were even worse. His mom was in Sully's arms, sobbing as if her heart had been shattered into a million pieces. Sully was rubbing her back, trying to comfort her the best he could, but he looked like a broken man. Ty couldn't remember ever seeing him look so old. Bosco was there, his arm around Faith. Doc and Carlos...They all looked so sad, keeping vigil, waiting for some word. Ty found himself touched to see how much they all cared about him. Alex was there too. She looked so sad ...as sad as when they had finally found her father's body in the ruins of the World Trade Center. He hated that he was causing them all such pain and sorrow. Well...at least this would be the last time...  
  
"Feeling guilty isn't going to help, son."  
  
He heard the familiar voice, but couldn't really believe it was real. Then again, if he was dead, he supposed it could be. Slowly he turned around and came face to face with the father he had lost so many years ago. "Dad?" he asked in a voice barely above a whisper. "Is...is it really you?"  
  
"Yes, son...it's really me."   
  
"I...I can't believe it..." Ty stared back at his father, a myriad of emotions flowing through him. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real, unless... "I...I guess I must be dead..."   
  
His father shook his head slowly. "No. You're hanging in there...fighting like hell to stay alive... You've always been a fighter, Ty."  
  
Ty nodded, at a loss for words as he just stared back at his father. He didn't look any different. He was exactly as he remembered, uniform and all. "You...you look the same," he finally managed to utter.  
  
"What did you expect? A white gown and angel wings?" his father chuckled.   
  
"No...I just..." Ty felt a lump unexpectedly developing in his throat as he shrugged. "I missed you, dad..."  
  
"I've missed you too, son...more than you could possibly know." He took a few steps closer to Ty. "I've watched you though through the years... Your mother...your sisters..."  
  
"Yeah?" Ty gnawed on his lip nervously. Countless times over the years he had wanted to talk to his father, but now, standing right in front of him, he couldn't seem to find the words. "This is...weird..."   
  
"It's weird for me too," his father admitted. "I'd always thought your mother would be the first one I'd see...I didn't want it to be you..."  
  
"I..." Ty found that he was totally tongue-tied. He couldn't seem to think of anything to say. He averted his gaze back to the waiting room, but he couldn't bear to see the pain that he was putting everyone through so he looked back at his father.   
  
"So...You and Sully...partners..." Ty's dad smiled, trying to make his son feel more at ease. "I didn't see that one coming. Best thing that could have happened though. Your mom was pretty smart to arrange for Sully to take you under his wing."  
  
"Yeah Sully's a great guy," Ty replied, forcing himself to relax a bit. "He's taught me a lot."  
  
"I know. I've seen. You've taught him a lot too. I'm not sure where he'd be without you. You're good for each other."  
  
At the same instant, both men turned their eyes toward Sully, watching as he continued to try to comfort Maggie. "There was a time when I thought Maggie and Sully were going to get together," Ty's dad said quietly.  
  
"You and me both," Ty stated, a small smile forming on his lips. "I wasn't too happy about it."  
  
"I know." Ty's father cast an affectionate look at his son. "I would have been okay with it though. They would have been good together. Who knows...maybe they still can be."  
  
"I don't know, dad..." Ty said as he shook his head. "I think they're just going to remain friends. Unless..." Unless he died... He suddenly felt compelled to find out was going on in the trauma room and headed back in that direction. Just as he reentered the room he felt an electric charge searing through his chest.   
  
"We've got a rhythm!"   
  
A rush of dizziness swept over him and his father grabbed Ty's arm steadying him before he fell. Ty gave his father a shocked look. "I...I can feel you."  
  
"Yeah well...not everything you read and see in the movies is true, son."   
  
"So...." Ty glanced at his father uncertainly. "I...I could hug you?"  
  
"Yes...yes you can, Ty...In fact, I don't think there's anything I would like better."   
  
It was all the encouragement Ty needed. All the emotions he had experienced as a boy who had lost his father came rushing back as he found himself being held in his father's strong arms. "God, I missed you so much, dad. I..."  
  
"I know...I know... I'm proud of you, son, so proud. You're an amazing cop...better than I ever was."  
  
"Really?" Ty drew back from his father's embrace and looked at him questioningly. "I really try, dad...it's not always easy, but...I always try my best..."   
  
"Ty?" His father's gaze moved downward and he shifted his feet uncomfortably. "You know I've done some things in the past...well that I'm not particularly proud of..."   
  
"Dad don't..." Ty shook his head and looked at his father imploringly. "It doesn't matter ...none of it matters. You were a good father to me, the best...that's all that matters...that's all that's ever mattered..."  
  
"Thank you...thank you for saying that."   
  
"Sure..." Ty dropped his gaze for a few moments before looking at his father again. This was so incredible. He once again wondered if he was dreaming. A sudden sharp pain in his chest made him rethink that however. He didn't feel vivid pain like that in his dreams. He looked down and saw a rapidly growing blood stain marring the surface of his uniform. "Wh...what's going on?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"It's time," Ty's father stated, his eyes filled with sorrow.   
  
"Time? You...you mean for me to die?" Ty asked, a quiver in his voice.  
  
"No, son... It's time to discover your fate..."  
  
****** 


	3. Chapter Three

Title: The Anniversary (3/?)  
Author: Lynne Facella  
Category: Drama/Angst  
Email: lynne1919@aol.com  
Spoilers: Through current season 4  
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero. I wish they were mine but unfortunately they're not.  
Summary: The anniversary of his father's death hits Ty in a way he never could have imagined.   
  
Author's notes: Thanks for the nice comments I've gotten. :) I'm not really sure where any of this came from, but it somehow got into my head and I'm glad you like it.   
  
******  
  
Ty stared back at his father, unsure he wanted to even know the answer to his question. "How exactly do we do that? Discover my fate?"  
  
"Well the first thing we'll do is look at your life up until now.  
  
"What do you mean? Is this like 'A Christmas Carol' or something? Am I supposed to be Ebeneezer Scrooge?" Ty asked with a grin.  
  
His father shook his head, allowing a small smile to form on his lips. "No...you don't have to worry about that. Come on, follow me."  
  
Ty cast one last stricken look at the sorrowful group in the waiting room and followed after his father.   
  
"Recognize this building?" his father asked a few moments later as an image, seemingly from nowhere, came before them.   
  
"Yeah...that's my elementary school," Ty said, innumerable memories coming into his head as he looked at the building. "It burned down around 10 years ago or so." His eyes moved towards the playground and he inhaled sharply as he saw himself as a boy. He'd always been tall for his age and in high demand on the basketball court even at the tender age of nine.   
  
"Alright Ty!" Jerome Andrews gave Ty a high five after Ty got his third basket in a row. "You're gonna be in the NBA someday!"  
  
"Yep, I'm gonna be the next Michael Jordan!" Ty bragged, a huge smile on his face. "And I'll give you all free tickets when my team comes to town. I can hear the announcer now. Number 99 Tyroooooone Davis!"  
  
"You ain't ever gonna be in the NBA," Sammy Ellis, a 10-year-old with a penchant for trouble scowled. "It's really hard to make it and you ain't good enough. My dad says so."  
  
"Why's your dad talking about me anyhow?" Ty asked angrily. "He should mind his own business."   
  
"My dad can say whatever he damn pleases. It's a free country."  
  
"You better watch it, Sammy" Jerome said, glaring at the other boy. "Ty's dad is a cop. He can fix your dad good if he wants to."  
  
"My dad ain't afraid of no cops," Sammy stated defiantly. "My dad says cops suck. Always sending innocent people to jail while they let the crooks run free."  
  
"That's not true. You take that back!" Ty shoved Sammy as hard as he could, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.   
  
"Fight! Fight!" The other children in the schoolyard came running to see the show as Ty and Sammy went at it.   
  
"My father's a great cop!" Ty screamed as he managed to get a well-aimed punch to connect with Sammy's nose. "Maybe your dad's just a dirty crook and that's why he hates cops so much."  
  
"Is not!" Sammy pummeled Ty's stomach with his fists. "My dad's better than your dad will ever be."  
  
"TYRONE DAVIS!" The two boys froze and Ty looked fearfully up into the face of his father who was standing over them.   
  
"Hi dad," he mumbled, hastily getting to his feet and brushing the dirt off his clothes.   
  
"Sammy, I suggest you go home. Ty, you're coming with me." The group of children scattered at the sight of a police officer and Ty's father led him out to the street alongside the playground. The RMP was parked with Sully patiently waiting inside. "Get in."  
  
Ty climbed into the back seat, his heart beating rapidly. He knew his father didn't like him fighting, but Sammy had just made him so mad. "Hi, Officer Sullivan," he said, biting his lip as his father got in the front passenger side of the car.  
  
"Hello there, Ty," Sully replied, managing not to smile at the boy.  
  
"Ty...what was going on back there?" his father asked sternly. "You know how I feel about fighting."  
  
"I know, but, he was saying bad things about cops," Ty protested quickly. "He said his dad said cops let crooks run free and put good people in jail and he said his dad is better than you."  
  
"You're going to hear a lot of things you don't like in your life. Sully and I hear those kinds of things all the time, son. Plain truth of the matter is a lot of people don't like cops. They're scared of them or they think like Sammy's dad does. You just have to let it roll off you though. You can't go around fighting with people just because they say things like that."   
  
"But, dad!"  
  
"No buts, Ty...I mean it. I don't want to see you fighting like that again, okay? Now Sully and I are going to swing you home. It's getting near suppertime anyhow. Your mother will be worried."  
  
"Alright..." Ty said sulkily, staring out the window. He wouldn't fight anymore, but it didn't mean he had to like it.  
  
The scene faded away and Ty smiled at his father. "You weren't too happy with me that day."  
  
"I just didn't want you getting into trouble." His father met Ty's gaze as he chuckled. "Your heart was in the right place though."  
  
"Yeah well..." Ty shrugged. "You're my dad. I was proud of you. I didn't want anyone talking badly about you."  
  
Ty's attention was diverted by a new image that suddenly appeared, his mom's apartment. He saw an enveloped lying on the coffee table and immediately knew what part of his life this was from...   
  
"Hey mom, I'm home," Ty called as he entered the apartment. He stretched out on the couch and picked up the newspaper, not noticing the envelope lying there. A few moments later, his mother came into the living room.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" were the first words out of her mouth as she stared at her son.  
  
"Huh? Tell you what? What's wrong, mom?" Ty glanced up at her uneasily as he put the paper aside. Something was obviously very wrong. He wasn't sure he had ever seen his mother look so angry.  
  
"Tell me about this." She picked up the envelope and thrust it at him, waiting until he took it from her hand. He gnawed on his lip uneasily as he saw the return address: The New York City Police Department.   
  
"I..." He shrugged and stared down at the envelope, not able to meet his mother's eyes.   
  
"Well aren't you going to open it?" Maggie asked with a barely controlled anger in her voice as she sat down next to her son. "Open it, Ty."  
  
Not knowing what else to do, he carefully opened the envelope and removed the folded letter inside.   
  
"Read it," Maggie demanded quietly, gazing at her son with steely eyes even though he refused to even look at her.  
  
With slightly trembling fingers he unfolded the letter and silently read it.   
  
"Well?"  
  
He decided that a wisecrack about U.S. mail being private probably wouldn't go over very well with his mom at that moment. "It...it's my acceptance letter to the police academy..."  
  
Somehow she had known what it was, but hearing him actually voice her fears caused Maggie to gasp involuntarily. "I...I don't understand this, Ty...you were accepted to law school... Why? Why would you do this?"  
  
"I...I want to be a cop, mom..."  
  
"Is this because of your father?" she asked, "because he wouldn't have expected you to follow in his footsteps. Seeing you practicing law would have made him very proud, Ty."  
  
He stared down at the worn beige-colored carpeting, trying to come up with the right words to explain this to her. He'd known she would react badly, which was why he had never had the nerve to bring it up. "It is because of dad, mom...but its not what you're thinking. It's just...ever since I was a kid...there was always a part of me that wanted to be a cop. I really tried to put it aside. I figured I would go to law school and I'd just forget it, but...the truth is, I don't want to forget it, mom...at least not yet. I want to try it ...I need you to understand. It's just something I have to do."   
  
Maggie nodded, blinking back tears which were welling in her eyes. In the back of her mind she'd always had her suspicions but she had hoped he would be satisfied practicing law. He'd still be helping people but without having to constantly put himself at risk. "Just promise me that you'll always be careful," she whispered as she hugged him tightly. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too."  
  
"I promise, mom," he said quietly as he returned her hug. "I promise."  
  
As the scene faded into nothingness, Ty sighed heavily. "I was careful, dad...but, I guess it didn't matter..."  
  
"Your mother knew the risks, Ty...she knows them better than anyone."  
  
"Maybe I shouldn't have been so selfish...maybe I should have just gone on to law school...I would have been safe and mom would have been happy."  
  
"There are no guarantees in life, son. You know that. You see the kind of stuff that can happen out there. Innocent people are always getting hurt, getting killed. One wrong move...being in the wrong place at the wrong time...you just never know what's going to happen...  
  
"Yeah...yeah, I know...just wish mom didn't always have to pay the price...  
  
"Your mother is a very strong woman..."  
  
"So...What now?" Ty asked impatiently, abruptly changing the subject. He didn't want to talk about his mother anymore and he was tiring of these slices of his life which were only serving to make him feel worse.   
  
No sooner had the words left Ty's lips when yet another scene unfolded before them...  
  
Ty closed the door of the bus and watched as it pulled away, siren blaring. He'd only been on the force a few weeks, and this was by far the most horrific scene he had witnessed. Three children shot by their father. The two boys had apparently died immediately and the third child, a six-year-old girl, was on her way to the hospital and it didn't look good. The father had blown his own brains out right before the police got to the building. Ty had tried desperately to stop the flow of bleeding from the little girl's abdomen before the paramedics had arrived on the scene. He looked down at his hands, which were still covered with her blood. Badly shaken, he made his way to the RMP and sat down, his shoulders slumped dejectedly. He knew he needed to go back into the building where investigators were examining the crime scene, but he just couldn't do it yet. He couldn't look at the scene where two, possibly three innocent children had just lost their lives.   
  
"How are you doing?" Ty raised his head, startled at the sound of Sully's voice. He'd been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't even heard his partner get into the car beside him.   
  
"I...I don't know," Ty admitted shakily. "Guess I've been better..."  
  
"I'd like to tell you that you get used to it," Sully said softly, "but...I don't think you ever do."  
  
"It's just...you think you're prepared. I mean, I read stories like this in the paper all the time and see it on the news. I knew stuff like this happened, but...actually seeing it... I don't know, Sul..." he turned to his partner with tears in his eyes. "They were babies, Sully...babies...I don't...I don't know if I can handle this..."  
  
Sully looked back at his distraught young partner, struggling for something comforting to say. "When you have days like this...you need to try to remember the good days, the kids we save, the people we help. As bad as this is, and God knows this is about as bad as it gets, think how much worse it would be if we weren't out here day after day."  
  
Ty just sat there, staring down at his bloodstained hands. Finally he managed a barely perceptible nod. "I guess...I guess you're right."  
  
Satisfied with that for the moment, Sully patted Ty's shoulder. "Come on. You should get cleaned up and the detectives need us inside. You okay?"  
  
"Yeah...yeah I'm alright," Ty stated as he put his hand on the handle of the door and opened it, gearing himself up to go back inside. He just needed to get through the rest of this day. Hopefully, tomorrow would be better.  
  
"That was a rough day," Ty stated somberly as the images gradually diminished. "I really thought I was going to quit, but..."  
  
"But?" his father prompted.  
  
"But that little girl pulled through," Ty smiled at the memory. "Her mom was so grateful that we'd managed to save at least one of her children. It really got me through it, knowing one of those kids had survived. I visited her in the hospital, brought her a big stuffed bear. She was the cutest little kid..."  
  
"I'm very proud of you, son... You're honest, sensitive and you have an amazing sense of honor...I can't imagine being any prouder of you than I am."  
  
Ty felt a chill run through his spine at his father's words. It was something he'd always strived for, even though his father hadn't been there, he'd wanted him to be proud. "Thank you, dad," he said tremulously, his eyes full of emotion. "That means the world to me."   
  
Ty's father's heart swelled with pride as he gazed at his son. He'd watched him over the years, but it wasn't the same as being able to stand face to face with him, talking to him, getting to know him all over again. He'd left behind a boy and now standing before him was a fine, young man. He knew their time together might be very limited though as the time for a decision to be made was almost upon them. "Come on, son," he said softly, draping his arm around Ty's shoulder as they began to walk. There's one more step before we'll find out your destiny... 


	4. Chapter Four

Title: The Anniversary (4/4)  
Author: Lynne Facella  
Category: Drama/Angst  
Email: lynne1919@aol.com  
Spoilers: Through current season 4  
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero. I wish they were mine but unfortunately they're not.  
Summary: The anniversary of his father's death hits Ty in a way he never could have imagined.   
  
Author's notes: Well this is the conclusion to this little series. I very much appreciate the feedback I've gotten. I love writing for Ty and I'm happy you've enjoyed it. Thanks so much :)  
  
******  
  
"One more step?" Ty was beginning to tire, both mentally and physically. "What is it, dad? What's the next step?"  
  
Now, we have to establish what it is you want..."  
  
"What I want?" Ty looked back at his father in confusion. "I want to live. I...I don't want to die...I'm not ready..." He looked back at where his friends and family were waiting and added softly "they're not ready."  
  
"It's not about them...it's about you..."  
  
"I don't understand...Do...do you want me to die, dad?"   
  
"NO!" Ty's father looked taken aback by the question. "No, Ty. Of course I don't want you to die. Don't even think that for a second."  
  
"Then why even ask?"  
  
"Ty...you're not understanding. I'm not the one who makes these decisions. Do you think I wanted to die when I did? That I wanted to leave you, your mother, your sisters? I didn't, but...I had no choice."  
  
Ty took a few moments to ponder that before slowly speaking again. "So you mean I do...I have a choice?"   
  
"What you say can influence what happens to you, son, but there are no guarantees. You should know that better than anyone."  
  
"So..." Ty glanced around, searching for someone, anyone who might be there to serve as judge, but they seemed to be alone. "Wh...what do I do?"  
  
"Just speak from your heart, son. That's all you can do."  
  
"Okay..." He stood silently for a few moments, unsure of how to start. He wasn't even sure who or what he was talking to. This whole experience was just too surreal. "I...I'm not ready to die. I still have a lot to live for," he began, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke. "I know it's not supposed to be about them," he gestured towards the waiting room, "but I don't agree with that. I want to be there for them. I need to... My mom doesn't deserve to lose a child. She already lost her husband and she's suffered a lot. Sully...he just lost his wife and he lost my dad as a partner. I honestly don't know if he'll be able to get through it if I die too. I don't want him to be miserable because of me. I...I'm afraid of what he might do. I love him and I don't want that on my conscience. But it's not just about my family and friends...I want to live for me too. I love being a cop and Sully's partner, but there's more... I want to settle down some day. I want to have kids. I...I want the chance to be a dad...as good a dad as the one I had..." He tried to think of something else to say, but nothing really came into his head. "I...I guess that's it..." He looked at his father searchingly, needing his guidance. "Now what?"  
  
No sooner had Ty uttered those words when an incredible chill invaded his body. He was overcome by an overwhelming sense of exhaustion and his legs felt leaden and incapable of supporting his weight. "Dad!" he called out just as he collapsed. His father caught him and gently lowered him to the ground. He felt himself being cradled in his father's arms just as Sully had done earlier. "Gu... guess I got my answer, huh?"   
  
"I guess you did..."  
  
"Dad? I...I'm scared, dad... I'm really scared..." He could feel the pain intensifying now, every breath he took causing him to cringe. "This...this is really bad. How...how much longer?"  
  
"I know you're scared," his father said soothingly. "But won't be long now, son."   
  
He couldn't seem to stop shivering, no matter how tightly his father held him. He was weakening considerably and he could feel himself beginning to slip away. "Love you, dad," he whispered as his eyes began to close.   
  
"I love you too, Ty, very, very much. Never forget that." Ty felt his father's lips on his forehead and just before he went to sleep he heard his father's voice one last time. "Tell Sully he owes you fifty bucks. Tell him he should have never bet against the Knicks..."  
  
******  
  
A steady beeping sound was the first thing Ty heard as he began to regain consciousness. He felt very, very tired and out of it. He was definitely on drugs. He could recognize the feeling from the time he'd been shot, but this time he felt even worse. He groaned softly and finally managed to open his eyes, blinking several times as he tried to adjust to the light.  
  
"Welcome back." He heard Sully's familiar voice and then his partner came into view. "You scared the life out of me, Ty...I thought I was going to lose you. You had everyone really worried."  
  
"Sully..." he whispered hoarsely and then began to cough, wincing at the pain he felt in his chest. "I was shot?"  
  
"Yeah, you were, but you're going to be alright." Sully patted Ty's hand comfortingly. "Doctor says you're a hell of a fighter."  
  
"Da...dad told me that too."  
  
Sully gave Ty a startled look, but quickly recovered. "Yeah well...you always were a tough little kid."  
  
"No." Ty shook his head, needing to make Sully understand. "Today...he told me that today."  
  
Sully cocked his head and was about to tell Ty he was dreaming, but then realized that would likely do more harm than good. "You should get some rest. Your mom went to get coffee. I'll go find her."  
  
"Sully, it's true," Ty persisted, unwilling to let the topic drop. "I saw him. He was...he was helping me. I...I was never really sure, but now...now I am...I know my dad is out there, watching over me."  
  
Sully swallowed against the lump that was rapidly developing in his throat. "I'm sure he is, Ty. Your dad loved you."  
  
Ty could tell Sully didn't really believe him, but he needed him to. He needed Sully to know that there was hope...that there was more to this world than he thought, that someday he would be reunited with Tatiana again. He struggled to find something that would prove it and then he remembered the last thing his father had said to him. "My dad said you owe me fifty bucks."  
  
"What? Ty are you alright?" Sully couldn't help but wonder what kind of drugs his partner was on. He wasn't making any sense at all.   
  
"Said...he said you shouldn't have bet against the Knicks." Ty found that he was tiring, but he fought against sleep, bound and determined to make Sully believe.  
  
"The Knicks?" Sully looked back at his partner blankly, but something had been triggered in his mind, something long forgotten. He searched his memory, struggling to remember what it was and then it hit him. It had happened the very night of Ty's dad's murder. They'd been taking a dinner break, munching on sandwiches in the RMP and they'd started bickering about the upcoming basketball game. Ty's dad was a steadfast Knicks fan, despite the fact that they kept losing and it didn't seem they were going to get better any time soon.   
  
"They're going to win tonight, no doubt in my mind," Ty Sr. had stated with a confident smile on his face.  
  
"No way. No way in hell will they win this game," Sully had responded, equally certain that he was right. "The Lakers will mop the floor with them."  
  
"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is, Sully. Fifty bucks says the Knicks take this game."   
  
"You're on." Sully had taken the bet and it wasn't until days later, after the funeral, that it had entered his mind again. Grief-stricken at the loss of his partner, he'd looked up the score of the game in the newspaper and tears had streamed down his face, knowing he'd never get to hear his partner's light-hearted banter over the bet that he had won. Now, as he looked down at Ty, he knew there was no way that Ty could have known about the bed. It had been between Sully and Ty's dad. No one else had known...  
  
"Your dad...he told you that?" Sully asked, a look of wonder in his eyes as he gazed down at Ty.   
  
Ty nodded solemnly. "He did, Sul...it was real. I saw my dad. I talked to him." Ty felt his eyelids growing almost unbearably heavy, but he forced himself to continue. "He's glad we're partners. He loves you, Sully...just like I do..."  
  
"I love you too." It was the second time Sully had said those words to his partner today, and the second time he'd cried, but the first time he'd cried in sorrow. This time the tears were of happiness and hope. Happiness that Ty's life had been spared and hope that he would someday be reunited with the loved ones he had lost. 


End file.
